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Story Highlights

Interim Louisville coach David Padgett faced a tough task this week as his team prepared for a 7 p.m. Wednesday matchup at second-ranked Virginia.

Not only is Virginia unbeaten in the Atlantic Coast Conference and playing like the best team in the country right now, Louisville's older players are also keenly aware that Virginia is 5-1 against the Cards over the past three seasons. Three of those games were blowout losses.

So, how can a coach hammer home the significant challenges of playing the Cavaliers while also not psyching out his players about how hard it is to beat them?

"We're treating this as a road game against a team that's really good this season and it's a big opportunity for us," Padgett said. "They're a different team than they were last year and the year before and the year before that, and so are we. We're not going to look into the past; we're just going to look at this game."

Word of the week: Efficient

That might be the best way to describe Tony Bennett's team, although sometimes "efficient" can be viewed as a negative term that discredits a team's athleticism. Virginia (20-1, 9-0 ACC) is both disciplined and athletic. And as Padgett pointed out Tuesday, UVA's offense is an underrated element of how good the team is.

“They're a different team than they were last year and the year before and the year before that, and so are we.”

David Padgett, on Virginia

For example, the Cavaliers have attempted 1,051 shots this season. Of those attempts, 96.7 percent of them came in "non-transition" offensive situations, according to Hoop-Math.com. What's more, Virginia's top four scorers (Kyle Guy, Devon Hall, De'Andre Hunter and Ty Jerome) all have effective field-goal percentages better than 50 in non-transition offense. Jerome's mid-range shooting percentage is 38.2, which is pretty solid, and it's the worst of the quartet.

"A lot of teams have tried to speed them up," Padgett said. "I just don't think it's very easy to do. They're very efficient at what they do on both ends of the court. Obviously everybody talks about how good their defense is, rightfully so, but I think their offense is overlooked sometimes. They're extremely efficient. ... They don't take good shots; they take great shots. That's why they're so good."

Be physical, but don't foul

Virginia is No. 1 in the ACC in effective field-goal defense; 3-point defense; steal percentage; turnover percentage; and free throw-to-field goal ratio. That last one is a big stat: Virginia is a rugged defensive team that bullies opponents, but it doesn't give up free throws to undercut its excellent 2- and 3-point field-goal defense. League opponents have drawn only 12.8 fouls per game against Virginia. That means Louisville, which is at its best driving and drawing fouls, is going to have to avoid the cold shooting streaks that have plagued its season to date.

"They're extremely physical," Padgett said. "They make you work on everything. They try to wear you down and beat you up a little bit. That's just the way they've always been, no matter who their personnel is. That's why they're successful. They get into you without fouling. They do an unbelievable job of defending the way they do without fouling. It really is remarkable to watch."

Patience

Asked Tuesday how many times Louisville's coaches had used the phrase "patient" or "patience" in discussing how to approach Virginia, freshman Darius Perry estimated "about a million times already." But Perry said he understood why it was such a focus, and not just on offense.

“They don't take good shots; they take great shots. That's why they're so good.”

David Padgett

Virginia averages 21.4 seconds per offensive possession in league play, according to Ken Pomeroy's analytics site. The Cavaliers have an effective field-goal percentage of 50 in the final 10 seconds of the shot clock, too. That means long possessions, usually a sign of good defense, don't faze Virginia all that much. In fact, the Cavs thrive in those scenarios.

On defense, Virginia clamps down on run-outs and fast breaks. Only a fifth of opponents' shot attempts have come in transition. In its halfcourt defense, about a tenth of its opponents' shots have come with five or fewer seconds in the shot clock, and the shooting percentages are miserable (18.9 percent from 3; 33.3 percent on mid-range jumpers). And in all non-transition, halfcourt sets, Virginia's opponents have made just 49.5 percent of their layups and dunks; 29.3 percent of their 2-point jump shots; and 27.7 percent from 3.

"Teams that have had mild success against them, you have to stay patient," Padgett said. "You have to move the basketball and you've got to get the defense to shift and then see if you can get it to break down a little bit. You're playing into their hands if you come down, come off one ball screen, make one pass and then shoot a contested 3. That plays right into their hands. You have to try to make them work."